Wiccans fails to cast a spell over B.C. prison system

VANCOUVER — Public Safety Minister Vic Toews appears less concerned about the quality of spells cast from behind bars than he is about a backlash from taxpayers, cancelling a Corrections Canada tender for a priest to nurture the spiritual needs of witches in prison.

Earlier this week, the federal prison agency put out a request for a proposal for a Wiccan chaplain in British Columbia who would provide about 17 hours of service a month, about an hour less service than the department says it needs for the Jewish faith.

About an hour after The Canadian Press reported on the contract, a statement from Toews’s office said it will not proceed until after a review.

“Religious freedom is a paramount value in Canadian society,” Julie Carmichael, director of communications for the minister, said in an email.

“However, the government is not convinced all services offered through the chaplaincy program reflect an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars.”